There have been known various techniques related to wood processing. Recently, development of environmentally-friendly materials is actively conducted. In particular, botanical resources such as wood greatly attract attention.
Patent Literature 1 discloses an art as below. A plurality of short pieces of wood are arranged and bonded with each other by an adhesive which is softened in a high-temperature water-vapor atmosphere, thereby forming a relatively longer laminated wood. A blank is formed from the laminated wood. The blank is processed by compression molding using a mold under a high-temperature water-vapor atmosphere. According to this technique, the adhesive is softened in the high-temperature water-vapor atmosphere. This allows the plurality of short pieces of wood to make relative displacement therebetween, thereby reducing stress loading. As a result, it is possible to shape the blank, without causing cracking.
Non-Patent Literature 1 discloses a technique by which wood is reduced to powder so that the powder is molded into a desired shape by hot pressing, without the use of an adhesive.
The technique of Patent Literature 1 is not one for deforming wood itself into a desired shape but one by which wood is softened under the high-temperature water-vapor atmosphere so as to be slightly deformed to the extent that no cracking is caused. Moreover, according to the technique, the adhesive is indispensable because the plurality of short pieces of wood are bonded with each other by the adhesive.
On the other hand, the technique of Non-Patent Literature 1 requires a process of reducing wood to powder.